Denver Wolves Dump Electronic Arts as Sponsor

By Bob McShaugnammons, CBA Today columnist.

In a move that many pundits predicted as early as last November, the CBA’s Denver Wolves have torn up their sponsorship contract with the global software giants Electronic Arts as the ballclub prepares to take the Redwood, CA company to federal court. Initially, this seemed like a perfect pairing of brands. However, one simple change in business strategy was enough to send the Wolves’ team of lawyers into overtime:

Microtransactions.

For several years, E.A. has earned more from the microtransactions within many of their games than the actual titles themselves. That situation reached a fever pitch in November, with the release of the heavily anticipated Star Wars Battlefront II. The game demonstrated stunning audio and visuals and fluid new additions to game play during its open beta testing. But early players sniffed out an insidious plot worthy of Emperor Palpatine himself—much of the game’s most vital endgame content was blocked behind a paywall, where players had to spend additional hard-earned, real life cash to purchase loot boxes that might not even help the player.

Kudos to the fan base, who responded in a completely appropriate manner and essentially rioted across the internet, sending E.A.’s stock price into freefall. “When we read the fine print, we knew that we were going to have a problem,” said Wolves owner Tyler Neumeyer. “I was told that E.A. would have a say in the designs of some of our concessions. I never dreamed that they would try to pull this.”

Sources at CBA Today were able to obtain a list of the changes Electronic Arts planned to implement at the E.A. Dome for the upcoming 2025 season, and the degree of customer-screwing they were planning was mind boggling. The ballpark microtransactions included:

• A $2 “Non-ketogenic surcharge” on all hot dogs and sausages if the customer wants a bun.
• A $1 “Stay Green” deposit on all concessions that include a paper wrapper, container, or cup. Fans could return paper products in mint condition in exchange for a $1 credit on a future concessions purchase ($50 minimum purchase required to use credit, one credit per customer, maximum one credit per homestand).
• A $10 “Chiropractic Wellness Service Fee” for a Corinthian leather Electronic Arts logo seat cover now required on all seats for sections 1 through 333.

When reached for comment, General Manager C.C. McCandless said “I mean, seriously. Are you fucking kidding me with this shit? Later, E.A.”

The Wolves are expected to sign a new sponsorship agreement before the start of Premiere League play.

Bob McShaughnammons has been a baseball beat writer, columnist, and talking head on those early Sunday morning round table shows that ESPN aired before they changed their format to “Sidebars, Tweets, and People Yelling At Each Other 24/7.” He now exclusively covers the CBA, working from the front porch of his Cape Cod beach house.